Captains Capsize ‘Caps, 4-2
COMSTOCK PARK, MI — The West Michigan Whitecaps couldn't collect clutch hits late as part of a 4-2 loss to the Lake County Captains in front of a season-high 4,269 fans Wednesday afternoon at LMCU Ballpark. West Michigan squandered a bases-loaded opportunity in the seventh inning while finishing 3-for-11 with
COMSTOCK PARK, MI — The West Michigan Whitecaps couldn't collect clutch hits late as part of a 4-2 loss to the Lake County Captains in front of a season-high 4,269 fans Wednesday afternoon at LMCU Ballpark.
West Michigan squandered a bases-loaded opportunity in the seventh inning while finishing 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and striking out ten times as they managed just two hits in the final five frames in the narrow defeat.
The 'Caps got off to a hot start as Roberto Campos plated Austin Murr with an RBI triple in the bottom of the first inning - grabbing the 1-0 lead. Meanwhile, 'Caps starter Jaden Hamm allowed just one hit while tallying three punchouts through his first two innings on the bump before Captains second baseman Alex Mooney added a two-run homer - pushing Lake County out in front 2-1. The 'Caps responded promptly as Peyton Graham drove an RBI double down the right-field line - scoring Campos and leveling the game at 2-2. In the sixth, Justin Boyd snuck a two-run double down the third base line - forging the Captains back in front 4-2 before relievers Zane Morehouse and Magnus Ellerts combined for 2.1 scoreless frames - earning the win and evening the series at a win a piece.
Captains starting pitcher Austin Peterson (3-1) continues his hot start to the 2024 campaign, allowing two runs through six innings with seven punchouts in his third victory of the year, while Ellerts earns his third save. Whitecaps reliever Tanner Kohlhepp (2-3) suffers his third loss of the year, allowing two runs through 1.2 innings of work. Lake County improves to 7-9, while West Michigan falls to 8-9. Campos - who has gone 6-for-9 with a triple and three RBIs in his last two games - stole his eighth base, good for second place in the Midwest League as he doubles his total from last season (4) in just 16 games played.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps move this six-game series against the Lake County Captains from LMCU Ballpark to Thursday night at 6:35 pm. Dylan Smith and Parker Messick get the starts for the ‘Caps and Captains. Tune into broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Nate Wangler on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:20 pm on the MLB and Bally Live Apps, and 106.1 FM ‘The Ticket’ and 1340 WJRW-AM in Grand Rapids. Get tickets for all 2024 home contests or listen to games live at whitecapsbaseball.com.